NRT contributor Kevin Davis talks with Hillsong LIVE members Reuben Morgan and Ben Fielding about "Forever Reign," the lead single off their 19th release, A Beautiful Exchange.

With more than 11-million albums sold worldwide, Hillsong LIVE returns with 12 new songs for its 19th recording, A Beautiful Exchange. The album was recorded live November 8, 2009 with thousands of worshippers gathered together in Sydney, Australia and features new songs by worship leaders Reuben Morgan, Joel Houston, Darlene Zschech and others.

Known for such worldwide worship anthems as “Shout To The Lord,” “Mighty To Save,” “From the Inside Out,” “Hosanna” and “Desert Song,” I eagerly await each new Hillsong release and A Beautiful Exchange is truly stellar and my top overall album by Hillsong LIVE.

“Forever Reign” was co-written by Reuben Morgan and Jason Ingram. A studio version of “Forever Reign” is also the last track and is the first radio single from A Beautiful Exchange. Nashville-based artists have been covering Hillsong to much acclaim and radio success, most recently Laura Story’s recording of “Mighty To Save” and Selah’s recording of “Hosanna.” “Forever Reign” has a great bridge that says “my heart will sing, no other Name / Jesus, Jesus” and is the stand-out song on the collection.

I got the chance to interview Hillsong LIVE members Reuben Morgan and Ben Fielding about their song “Forever Reign.” Here is our conversation.

Reuben, please tell me about the personal story behind writing the song “Forever Reign.”

It was great that I got to hang out with Jason Ingram. I was in town in Nashville and we got together to have coffee and talk. I knew some of Jason’s songs and that he was a worship leader. So, we got together to just meet and eventually we started writing songs together. The first song we wrote was “Greatness of Our God.” That was a great experience. We clicked immediately as friends and song-writers. A couple of days later, we wrote “Forever Reign.” The message of the song is very confessional. Throughout the song we declare who God is, “You are good, You are love, You are light, You are hope, You are peace, You are joy and You are life.” At the same time, we combine that message of who God is with our response, “You are good, You are good, when there’s nothing good in me.” I hope the song enlarges God in our view of Him. We need to know that God is not diminished by our circumstances, doubts or our response.

Please tell me about any Bible verses that you used to write the song?

Ephesians 3:14-19"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—-to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ben, what type of response have you received to the song?

It’s been amazing to see the church singing “Forever Reign” and how the song has been received by our church. We first brought the song to our “Elevate” night where our creative team gets together and everyone jumped right on the song and were singing along by the 2nd chorus. On the night we sang for the album, everyone cheered when we started singing this song. People love the song and as a worship leader that means a lot when you know people are really singing from their hearts. As a confession, wanting to enter into God’s arms and sing His Name is a blessing. The bridge, “My heart will sing, no other Name, Jesus, Jesus” is my favorite part of the song. When we sing it at Hillsong Church, the congregation just keeps singing that bridge over and over after we finish the song. It’s humbling to be part of something that affects people in a personal way.

You are good, You are good
When there's nothing good in me
You are love, You are love
On display for all to see
You are light, You are light
When the darkness closes in
You are hope, You are hope
You have covered all my sin

You are peace, You are peace
When my fear is crippling
You are true, You are true
Even in my wandering
You are joy, You are joy
You're the reason that I sing
You are life, You are life,
In You death has lost it's sting

Oh, I’m running to Your arms,
I’m running to arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign

You are more, You are more
Than my words will ever say
You are Lord, You are Lord
All creation will proclaim
You are here, You are here
In Your presence I'm made whole
You are God, You are God
Of all else I'm letting go

Oh, I’m running to Your arms
I’m running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign

My heart will sing
no other Name
Jesus, Jesus

Oh, I’m running to Your arms
I’m running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign

It was a great privilege for me to interview Reuben Morgan and Ben Fielding of Hillsong. They wrote “Mighty To Save” together, which is the most sung worship anthem in the global Church today. I sing “Forever Reign” at the top of my lungs in total devotion to God. I am very moved by the lyrics “I’m running to Your arms, I’m running to Your arms, The riches of Your love, Will always be enough, Nothing compares to Your embrace.” As Paul says in Ephesians 3:18, only “through His Spirit...may you be able to comprehend the width, length, depth, and height of the Love of Christ.”

Allow the fullness of Christ’s Love to indwell in your heart and proclaim the truth of this song “Light of the world forever reign.”

Kevin Davis is a long time fan of Christian music, an avid music collector and credits the message of Christian music for leading him to Christ. Kevin also writes reviews for ChristianMusicReview.org. He currently lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.